Eight months after being purchased out of the NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, two-year-old filly Actionbelle (Bivouac) became a black-type winner in the $80,000 Listed John Turkington Forestry Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Otaki on Friday.
Actionbelle was offered by Henley Park at the Ready to Run Sale and was bought by Jim Bruford’s Brewers Bloodstock for $90,000. She has now had two starts for a win, a placing and $47,530 in prize-money.
Trainers Ben and Ryan Foote gave Actionbelle a pair of trials in May, winning the second of them at Waipa on May 26 before a strong-finishing third in her raceday debut over 1050 metres at Matamata on June 14.
That performance gave the Footes the confidence to step up to stakes level for the filly’s second start on Friday, and Actionbelle showed that she was up to the task.
Actionbelle drew gate one and was ridden by Sam McNab, who gave her time to find her feet in the early part of the race and settled in sixth along the inside.
The field came wide around the home turn in search of better ground, leaving plenty of space for Actionbelle to commence her run.
She moved up on the inside of the front-running favourite Honour Roll (NZ) (Savabeel) and surged past him in the final 150 metres, pulling away to win by three and a half lengths.
“I thought her debut run couldn’t have been much better, and stepping up to 1200 metres today, she was always going to be a very good chance,” McNab said.
“The heavy track conditions were obviously a query, and the two favourites had shown a bit, but she was very tough.
“I couldn’t get off the fence from our inside draw, but where I was hadn’t been touched much and I just tried to encourage her to slide forward without doing too much. I tried to nurse her to the corner, and when Michael (McNab, riding Honour Roll) took off, I thought it must be time to go.
“The leader put a couple of lengths on us, but she never gave up and got there in the end.”
Ryan Foote was delighted to secure this result for Bruford and his syndicate of owners.
“It was great to get a stakes win for the team, they are big supporters of ours,” he said. “She’s a nice horse with a bright future.
“This is one that Jim selected, he is a very good judge. We’re just happy to have backing from him.
“The race didn’t really go as planned, I wanted to get off the fence, but they all came out wide and she just seemed like she handled the track conditions best.
“We’ll see how she gets home and pulls up as to whether we come back in two weeks (for the Listed Ryder Stakes).”
Actionbelle is out of Balancing Act (Not A Single Doubt), who herself won five races and placed in the Listed Redelva Stakes (1100m). Actionbelle is the second of Balancing Act’s progeny to perform at stakes level, with Left Field (Deep Field) having previously placed in the Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m).
The 2026 edition of the Ready to Run Sale will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre on Wednesday 18 & Thursday 19 November with Breeze Ups to be held at Te Rapa Racecourse on Monday 12 & Tuesday 13 October.
The results of this exceptional Sale continue to reach new heights both on the racetrack and in the sale ring. We have seen three consecutive record-breaking editions, with the 2025 Sale delivering increases across all key sale indicators. The aggregate climbed to a record $41.4 million, alongside a record median of $100,000 and a record average of $156,255.
The results in the ring have grown rapidly year-on-year, with the aggregate rising 74% over seven years – from $23.8 million in 2019 to $41.4 million in 2025. The average has also lifted 70% over the same period, from $91,772 to $156,255. And despite a larger catalogue, NZB’s Ready to Run Sale has maintained an average clearance rate of 75% over the last seven years. The Sale’s closest rival has cleared an average of 67% in that time, despite a much smaller catalogue.
Entries for the Sale are open now and close at 5pm on Friday 31 July. To nominate your rising two-year-olds for the 2026 Ready to Run Sale, visit NZB’s online portal at portal.nzb.co.nz. For portal enquiries, contact NZB’s Bloodstock Administrator Mary Jane Harvey (+64 9 298 0055 or email maryjane.harvey@nzb.co.nz).
| Vendor | Henley Park |
| Purchaser | Brewers Bloodstock (Auckland) |
| Breeding | Bivouac – Balancing Act |
| Sale | Lot 237, 2025 Ready to Run Sale, $90,000 |
| Breeder | O S Tait Pty Ltd |
| Owner | Mr J & Mrs A Bruford, Mr A & Mrs C Bruford, Mr C & Mrs L McLean, Ms S Bourke, Mr D Mitchell, Mr C Leishman, Mr W Storm, Mr R Nieper, Mrs W Williams & Mrs H Sutherland |
